Dozer delivers once again as Bloom-Carroll pulls away from TV in second half
ASHVILLE — There are certainly going to be ups and downs throughout a game, but when the Bloom-Carroll boys’ basketball team needs a lift, the Bulldogs have the luxury of having a go-to player in senior Evan Dozer.
Like he has done all season, Dozer delivered when Bloom-Carroll needed him the most. Trailing by five points at halftime against Teays Valley and by seven points early in the third quarter, Dozer took over. He scored 22 points in the second half, including 12 in the third quarter as the Bulldogs, ranked No. 4 in the state in the Division II Associated Press poll, methodically began to pull away for a 57-43 Mid-State League-Buckeye Division win over the Vikings.
Dozer tied his career-high by finishing with 31 points, including an 8-for-8 showing at the free throw line and he grabbed seven rebounds. In his last three games, Dozer has scored 71 points, grabbed 27 rebounds, dished out 12 assists and has gone 22-for-22 at the free throw line.
“(Dozer) puts the work in. He is shooting and lifting every day and he deserves everything he gets,” Bloom-Carroll senior guard Beau Wisecarver said. “He is one of the hardest workers on the team. I am not surprised at anything he does because he has done that the last couple of years and we kind of expect it from him and he expects it from himself.”
While Dozer was key cog in the Bulldogs (15-2, 10-0) comeback in the second half, he had plenty of help, as far as his teammates picking up the slack and doing all the little things it takes to win, especially on the defensive end and rebounding.
Wisecarver, who finished with five points, three assists and four rebounds, played with a ton of energy in the second half and it seemed to give the Bulldogs a huge lift as the rest of the team played with more of a sense of urgency in the second half.
“I understand my role and know what I need to do to help our team win,” Wisecarver said. “I’m not much of a scorer, but I play defense as hard as I can and make sure I get the ball to our best offensive players. That’s a big reason why we have been so successful. All of us fill our roles.”
Jared Rose finished with 13 points and six rebounds, while other players that maybe doesn’t get as much of the limelight as Dozer and Rose, played well and helped secure the victory. Sophomore point guard Jackson Wyant had four points and four assists and went 4-for-4 at the free throw line in the final minute.
Senior Da’Shan Clark scored two points, had five assists, four rebounds and played outstanding defense and junior Michael Whitcraft had a big take to the basket to begin the fourth quarter.
The Bulldogs would need everyone to step up their game because the Vikings (7-10, 6-4) were taking it to them, especially in the first half.
“We knew it would be a grinder coming over here and we gave them momentum in the first half,” Bloom-Carroll coach Joe Goodyear said. “We had to grind away in the second half, and Evan certainly led the way for us, but our strength just grinded them down in the second half.
“We just kept playing, and all of our guys did the little things it takes to win. We have great role players, and they do their job well and they do it well.”
The two teams were tied at 7-7 at the end of the first quarter, but Vikings finished the first half on a 9-2 run to take a 32-18 halftime lead. Teays Valley scored the first two point of the third quarter to take a seven-point advantage before Dozer and company began push back.
Dozer scored eight consecutive points to help spark a 10-2 run as the Bulldogs quickly cut the deficit to 29-28. Trailing 32-29 with 1:20 left in the third quarter, Dozer scored four straight points and Rose nailed a 3-pointer as the Bulldogs finished the third quarter on a 7-2 run to take a 36-34 lead into the fourth quarter.
Bloom-Carroll dominated the final period of play and outscored the Vikings 21-9. The Bulldogs helped seal the deal by going 10-for-10 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter.
Tom Wilson is a sports reporter for the Lancaster Eagle Gazette. Contact him at 740-689-5150 or via email at twilson@gannett.com for comments or story tips. Follow him on Twitter @twil2323.
This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Dozer delivers once again as B-C pulls away from Vikings in second half
